Our annual Obon cemetery visits and services start tomorrow, July 27, 2021. Obon cemetery visits are an important part of our Jodo Shinshu Buddhist tradition and something I look forward to every year.   (For full schedule and a link to the map, scroll to the bottom of this post) Bonye No Uta* Lanterns aglow from the house to house, Lighting the path of the Dharma Those who live and those now gone All come together this festival day. Time that flows shall not return, But deep within the cemetery’s moss Hearts beckon each other, every year, And loved ones meet, this Festival Day. *(Original version in Japanese by S. Shibutani and Kiyomi Fujii)   The tradition of Obon is a reminder of the sadness of loss. Obon traditions remind us that missing our loved ones is a  normal part of human life.  The traditions reassure us that grief is normal and nothing to be ashamed of.  But that is just a small piece of what Obon is. At the heart of Obon is the fundamental teaching of

  Welcome to Hometown Buddhism!  This is the blog of Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple in Ontario, Oregon.  In 2022 our temple will be celebrating 75 years in Ontario, Oregon.  We are proud of our history and are grateful for the Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans who founded our temple and helped it flourish by sharing the Buddhist teachings, supporting each other, and connecting with the larger community.  We hope to keep their legacy alive by continuing to share what they taught us.   Up until last year, we did most of our temple activities in-person at our temple building or at neighboring locations in Eastern Oregon and Western Idaho.  The pandemic forced us to put more of our material online: Once we put some more of our materials online, we started hearing from people from around the country who wanted to connect (or reconnect) with us. And we realized that the practical and often relaxed style of our little Buddhist community here in rural Oregon might be of interest to a wi